Fife House is involved in provincial and regional research projects that aim to address the gaps in information to influence policy decisions that will improve housing for PHAs.
Positive Spaces Healthy Places (PSHP)
Families, HIV and Housing (FHH): This study is devised to address concerns arising from the qualitative findings of the PHSP study that highlighted the unique concerns of families affected by HIV, and that current housing, health care and social service models may not fully address these. The goal is to develop housing models that can better address the unique and complex needs of families affected by HIV/AIDS.
A Community Advisory Committee, which includes HIV+ individuals and professionals from organizations that provide services to families who are affected by HIV/AIDS, are directly involved in the design and implementation of this study. This collaboration has expanded our knowledge and furthered our relationships with health care, social services, and AIDS service organizations who work with families affected by HIV/AIDS.
The first stage of the study aims to reach 100 service providers, inquiring about their knowledge and experience of working with HIV-affected families, and their linkages with other agencies that provide housing, health and social services related to housing them. Through the second stage, in depth interviews with 50 HIV-positive parents with children currently in their care (or not living with them due to their housing situation) will be conducted. Housing agencies have been invited to respond to the online survey and the survey will soon extend to health care, and AIDS service organizations. Qualitative interviews are currently being conducted.
National HIV/Housing Portal- Healthy Housing Website
Fife House is in the process of launching a website to facilitate easy access to and centralize information for PHAs, housing and HIV/AIDS service organizations, community-based organizations and researchers. This website aims to be a resource to address the gaps in information on housing services and act as a forum to bring various service providers and PHAs together to share experiences and discuss strategies for improvement. A coordinator has been hired to collect information, design and manage the website.
